The verdict on Airbnb in Spain

Find out what The Local readers really think of Airbnb in Spain and what impact it’s had on local areas.

Airbnb has been a topic of fierce debate in Spain in recent years.

The short-term tourist rental platform has in many ways transformed travel. It’s made travel cheaper and more flexible, but with the post-pandemic proliferation of Airbnbs across Spain, it’s also transformed many inner-city neighbourhoods and caused a backlash among locals.

In fact, during Spain’s anti-tourism protests last year, Airbnb was viewed as one of the main contributors to the inflated rental market that in many cities has priced locals out and gentrified what were once traditional neighbourhoods.

READ ALSO: Airbnb demands Spain adopt different rules for tourist rentals in rural areas

The Local asked readers what they thought about Airbnb and the effect it’s had on their lives in Spain.

What impact has Airbnb had on your local area?

Answers to this question were generally negative, with complaints ranging from the impact on the rental market to bothersome behaviour by tourists disrupting daily life.

One reader, M, from Granada, put it very simply: “screwed it”. James, living in La Xara, agreed: “Very negative”.

Sharon, based in Javea, said: “It’s almost impossible to find a year-round rental. We are fortunate and were able to buy a home here, but the holiday rental market has definitely had a negative impact on people being able to find a place to rent to live.”

Anne, who lives between Costa Brava and Barcelona, raised the issue of tourist behaviour rather than the platform itself: “During summer our neighbour AirBnBs his house – it’s a nightmare. The occupants don’t care about the noise they make, they use our garden (even though it’s fenced off), they takeover the community swimming pool. It devalues the entire community. Rather than blaming AirBnB, I think it’s people’s behaviour that negatively impacts our perspectives.”

Anthony Potts, from Bem, had a similar view of Airbnb: “Invasive with unruly guests who do not respect the local residents”.

Brendan, in Madrid, shared his view: “Very negative: noise from short-term stayers, drug use, alcohol use, hallways of building dirty – the list goes on and on.”

However, one reader, Scott, from the Huelva area, had a different view and noted that Airbnb has “brought more local visitors to our rural area”, something that chimes with Airbnb’s recent calls for Spain to adopt different rules for tourist rentals in rural areas.

READ ALSO: New study sheds light on who owns all the Airbnb-style lets in Spain

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Do you support tighter regulations on Airbnb? Why or why not?

The Spanish government and various regional authorities have tried to crack down on Airbnb in Spain, whether it be Barcelona’s ambitious pledge to rid the Catalan capital of them entirely by 2028, or limits on new licenses in city centre areas. On a national level, Airbnb was recently forced to take down 65,000 listings by the Spanish government, and Madrid flagged a further 55,000 tourist lets which have not been properly registered.

Nonetheless, many in Spain blame Airbnb not only for surging property prices (and shortages) but also gentrification and cultural change in neighbourhoods.

Our readers were generally supportive of tighter regulation of the platform, though with some nuance.

Daniel, from Barcelona, was emphatic: “Yes! The public needs to be protected from the insidious nature of sprawling corporations that care only for profit.”

However Sally, a resident on the Costa Brava, sees distinctions between types of owners and called for regulation “for landlords who own multiple properties”.

Eric, living in Valencia, also saw the need for nuance in regulation: “Yes, but very specifically for agencies or investment companies who buy up a several properties with the explicit purpose of using them as Airbnb,” he said. “There is a huge difference between one of these massive agencies with dozens or even hundreds of properties vs someone who wants to share their home with travellers and maybe offset some of their housing expenses.”

Others saw regulation as a way to “keep neighbourhoods local” and “to keep prices down” in the property market, such as Kristine in Valencia.

Brendan, from Madrid, felt very strongly about regulation, going further to call for an outright ban: “Airbnb should be 100 percent banned in Spain. When a government gives a permit for residential homes to be built, the original permit is for homes, not hotel rooms. If the government wanted more hotel rooms, they would have approved hotel rooms to be built instead of homes in the first place.”

Jenny, from Granada, like many locals identified an issue with tourist flats coexisting (or not) alongside residential housing: “Airbnb and all other booking platforms should never include properties that are unregistered and rentals in residential blocks should be severely limited,” she said.

READ ALSO: Airbnb scraps 65,000 listings as Spain flags 55,000 more

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What are your thoughts on Spain’s anti-tourism movement?

We also asked The Local readers what they thought of Spain’s anti-tourism movement. The protest movement saw demonstrations across the country and gained international headlines when demonstrators in Barcelona sprayed tourists with water pistols.

Many responses to the survey stated that yes, they understood the desire to protest (and in many cases supported it) but several readers expressed also a desire for balance that goes beyond tourism = bad, which is a common critique among some Spaniards too.

Constantin, from Alicante, said the protests were “understandable,” but added, “there is no easy solution because so much of the Spanish economy depends on it.”

Daniel, in Barcelona, agreed with the underlying principle: “I don’t always agree with the tactics but I understand the frustration. I can’t stand the cheap tourist shops and the crowds. One needs to travel like an anthropologist, quietly, thoughtfully and with curiosity.”

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Linda, in Peńiscola, however, sees contradictions in the protests. “I do not support it… Spain instigated cheap tourism and many people moved to tourist areas for jobs, you can’t have it both ways.”

Similarly, from Madrid, Robert felt the anti-tourism demonstrations are “not the right answer,” describing them as “bad publicity abroad especially considering Spain’s tourism GDP.”

Costa Brava resident Sally described them as “misguided,” adding that, “rather than attacking tourists, they should turn their anger on local authorities which have ignored the problem for too long and to landlords/companies owning multiple AirBnB properties.”

Ann in Barcelona described the campaign as “complicated” and made the point that though “tourism brings in revenue, [it’s] not always the way local community would wish for.”

Richard Parr, a resident in the Valencia community, summed up the views of many when he supported the protests but they were “at points somewhat misdirected and misinformed, but largely justified”.